Books on Philosophy

You are here: Home > Books > Books by Subject > Books on Philosophy

Find by Pricing

Below 16 (5)

16 to 19.99 (5)

20 to 29.99 (5)

30 and Above (10)

Sort By:

Page of 1

Buddhahood Embodied: Sources of Controversy in India and Tibet
By: Makransky

Our Price: $30.95
Members Price: $27.86

To enter the Mahayana Buddhist path to enlightenment is to seek both to become free from our dualistic, deluded world and to remain actively engaged in that world until all others are free How are these two apparently contradictory qualities to be embodied in the attainment of buddhahood ( How can one's present practice accomplish that? These questions underlie a millennium old controversy over buddhahood in India and Tibet that centers around a cherished text, the Abhisamayalankara. Makransky shows how the Abhisamayalamkara's composite redaction, from Abhidharma, Prajnaparamita, and Yogacara tradtions permitted its interpreters to perceive different aspects of those traditions as cental in its teaching of Buddhahood This enabled Indians and Tibetans to read very different perspectives on
enlightenment into the Abhisamayalamkara, though which they responded to the questions in startingly different ways. The author shows how these perspectives provide alternative ways to resolve a logical tension at the heart of Mahayana thought, inscribed in the doctrine that buddhahood paradoxically transcends and engages our world simultaneously.

Buddhism Art, Architecture, Literature & Philosophy
By: Dr. G. Kamalakar

Our Price: $185.00
Members Price: $166.50

Buddhism is one of the important religions of world. Albeit Lord Buddha was not born in Andhra Desa, but the contribution of Andhra Desa to Buddhism is not small. Famous Buddhist Stupas and Viharas as seen at Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, Bhattiprolu, Guntupalli, Chandavaram are only a few to name in Andhra Desa. With the passing time, new discoveries on Buddhism are pouring in from different corners. Recent discoveries of Totlakonda, Bavikonda, Pavuralakonda etc. from Andhra Pradesh throw welcome light on the subject. This publication contains the papers presented at the seminar, "Contribution of Andhra Desa to Buddhism" organized by Birla Archaeological & Cultural Research Institute, Hyderabad a few years ago. The purpose of the seminar is to bring to light the new discoveries and throw further light on the already existing information on Buddhism from Andhra Desa in particular and India in general. Research is a never ending process and results of research will always be either finding out something new or updating the existing information with the new discoveries. This publication contains papers submitted by both seasoned and budding scholars covering almost all the aspects of Buddhism like art, architecture, philosophy, survey reports, excavation findings etc. As mentioned above, there are papers altogether with new discoveries and papers highlighting new points on the already existing information.

Buddhisms and Deconstructions
By: Jin Y. Park (ed.)

Our Price: $35.00
Members Price: $35.00

No Member Discount
Buddhism and Deconstructions considers the connection between Buddhism and Derridean deconstruction. Fourteen distingushed contributors discuss deconstruction and various Buddhisms - Indian, Tibetan, Chinese (Chan), and Japanese (Zen) - including an afterword in which Robert Magliola responds directly to his critics.<

Buddhist Philosophy: Essential Readings
By: William Edelglass and Jay Garfield

Our Price: $24.95
Sale Price: $22.46
Members Price: $22.46
You save $2.49!

The Buddhist philosophical tradition is vast, internally diverse, and comprises texts written in a variety of canonical languages. It is hence often difficult for those with training in Western philosophy who wish to approach this tradition for the first time to know where to start, and difficult for those who wish to introduce and teach courses in Buddhist philosophy to find suitable textbooks that adequately represent the diversity of the tradition, expose students to important primary texts in reliable translations, that contextualize those texts, and that foreground specifically philosophical issues.
Buddhist Philosophy fills that lacuna. It collects important philosophical texts from each major Buddhist tradition. Each text is translated and introduced by a recognized authority in Buddhist studies. Each introduction sets the text in context and introduces the philosophical issues it addresses and arguments it presents, providing a useful and authoritative guide to reading and to teaching the text. The volume is organized into topical sections that reflect the way that Western philosophers think about the structure of the discipline, and each section is introduced by an essay explaining Buddhist approaches to that subject matter, and the place of the texts collected in that section in the enterprise.

Buddhist Philosophy: Losang Gonchok's Short Commentary to Jamyang Shayba's Root Text on Tenets
By: Cozort & Preston

Our Price: $18.95
Members Price: $17.06

What are the most important points of difference between the major schools of Buddhist philosophy? This rich, medium-length survey offers a lively answer. The introduction, aimed at those new to Buddhist thought, sets up a dialogue between the schools on the most controversial topics in Buddhist philosophy.

Causality and Its Application
By: J. L. Shaw

Our Price: $15.00
Members Price: $13.50

Causality and Its Application: Samkhya, Bauddha and Nyaya is not only a commentary on the views of classical Indian philosophers, but also contains explanations of concepts which are indispensable for understanding metaphysics, epistemology and ethics, among many other things. This book deals with a range of questions, such as whether the material cause contains the effect in its subtle form, whether causality can be defined in terms of efficacy, whether causal conditions are related to each other and whether they can be classified into types. It also explains the relation between the concepts of event, action, moment and causality.

Regarding epistemological issues related to causality, this book focuses on sources of knowledge, such as perception, inference and verbal testimony. Since this book suggests solutions to certain problems of knowledge, including the perception of a physical object, the relation of inferential cognition to its premises, the nature of atomistic and holistic understanding of the meaning of a sentence, it will throw further light on contemporary epistemology, philosophy of language and logic. Hence it will be useful not only for understanding Indian philosophy, but also for solving some contemporary western problems. It will be of value for comparative philosophers, Indologists and Sanskritists.

Companion to Buddhist Philosophy
By: Steven M. Emmanuel

Our Price: $195.00

"A Companion to Buddhist Philosophy" is the most comprehensive single volume on the subject available; not only does the Companion offer the non-specialist an in-depth introduction to the central concepts of Buddhism, it presents extensive discussions of Buddhist social and political thought, contemplative practice, issues in applied ethics, and Buddhist social activism.

The contributors list for the Companion includes leading scholars in the field; each engages the latest scholarship to create a wide-ranging survey of the most important ideas, problems, and debates in Buddhist philosophy. The volume will expand readers' understanding of the breadth and diversity of Buddhist thought, with many of the chapters written from a comparative perspective.

A conscious effort has been undertaken throughout the volume to create a mainstream bridge between the Western and Buddhist philosophical traditions. The broad coverage of Buddhist thought offers a great deal of flexibility to instructors and students, presenting the most versatile single-volume sourcebook available for constructing a customized syllabus on Buddhist philosophy or comparative philosophical thought.

Contemplating Reality; A Practitioner's Guide to the View in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism
By: Andy Karr

Our Price: $16.95
Sale Price: $13.56
Members Price: $13.56
You save $3.39!

This book is for intermediate and advanced Buddhist practitioners who wish to deepen their understanding by joining practice with study of traditional ideas. It introduces the reader to contemplations that investigate a series of views of reality as they evolved in the Buddhist tradition. These views are explained in plain English, with contemporary metaphors and examples to bring out their meaning for modern Buddhists. Quotations from both historical and living meditation masters and scholars are presented as examples of key principles.

Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems: A Tibetan Study of Asian Religious Thought
By: Thuken Chokyi Nyima

Our Price: $59.95
Sale Price: $35.97
Members Price: $35.97
You save $23.98!

Thuken Chokyi Nyima's The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems is the widest-ranging account of religious philosophies ever written in premodern Tibet. After covering the major schools of India, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist, Thuken discusses in detail the entire range of Tibetan traditions, with separate chapters on the Nyingma, Kadam, Kagyu, Shijé, Sakya, Jonang, Geluk, and Bon schools. He then describes the major traditions of China — Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist — as well as those of Mongolia, Khotan, and Shambhala. Not content with simply describing and analyzing doctrines, Thuken traces the historical development of the various traditions. While he favors his own Geluk school, Thuken treats the views of other traditions with sympathy and respect, sometimes even defending them against criticisms from his own tradition. Eloquent, erudite, and informative, The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems is evidence that serious and balanced study of the history of religions has not been a monopoly of Western scholarship.

Early Buddhism: A New Approach
By: Hamilton, Sue

Our Price: $45.95
Members Price: $41.36

The I of the Beholder
Building on the author's previous published work, this book focuses on the relationship between identity and perception in early Buddhism, drawing out and explaining the way they relate in terms of experience. It presents a coherent picture of these issues in the context of Buddhist teachings as a whole and suggests that they represent the heart of what the Buddha taught. This book will be of primary interest to scholars working within all fields of Buddhist studies.

Echoes from an Empty Sky
By: John Buescher

Our Price: $16.95
Sale Price: $10.17
Members Price: $10.17
You save $6.78!

The doctrine of the two truths--conventional and ultimate--evolved as early Buddhists struggled to reconcile apparent contradictions within the collected sayings of the Buddha. Over time, the teachings on the two truths have taken their place at the heart of the Buddhist view of reality. Buddhist philosophers have made them central to the elaboration of an abhidharma, a "higher teaching" that explains how the mind apprehends and misapprehends the world. It is through the two truths that we understand how mind attaches itself to objects having no intrinsic existence, thereby creating suffering. Understood as a teaching on reality as opposed to merely a linguistic distinction, the doctrine played a key role for the followers of Mahayana in articulating the essential differences between their own view and what they called the Hinayana view-especially in defining the central ideas of selflessness and emptiness. Echoes from an Empty Sky, for the first time, eschews an exclusively Mahayana standpoint for the exploration of the two truths in order to examine the doctrine in the context of the Hinayana.

History of Buddhist Philosophy
By: Kalupahana, David J.

Our Price: $15.00
Members Price: $13.50

Continuities and Discontinuities
Representing the culmination of Dr. Kalupahana's thirty years of scholarly research and reflection, "A History of Buddhism" provides a complete, detailed analysis of both early and later Buddhism.
Part 1 is devoted to early Buddhism, opening with a thorough examination of pre-Buddhist thought and its absolutist character, followed by a biographical sketch of Siddartha, the historical Buddha.

Introduction to Buddhist Philosophy
By: Stephen J. Laumakis

Our Price: $40.00

In this clearly written undergraduate textbook, Stephen Laumakis explains the origin and development of Buddhist ideas and concepts, focusing on the philosophical ideas and arguments presented and defended by selected thinkers and sutras from various traditions. He starts with a sketch of the Buddha and the Dharma, and highlights the origins of Buddhism in India. He then considers specific details of the Dharma with special attention to Buddhist metaphysics and epistemology, and examines the development of Buddhism in China, Japan, and Tibet, concluding with the ideas of the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh. In each chapter he includes explanations of key terms and teachings, excerpts from primary source materials, and presentations of the arguments for each position. His book will be an invaluable guide for all who are interested in this rich and vibrant philosophy.

Living Thoughts of Gotama the Buddha
By: Coomaraswamy, Ananda and I.B. Horner

Our Price: $8.95
Members Price: $8.06

his fascinating book, the work of two distinguished scholars in the field, captures the essence of Buddha's life and teachings. Starting with a brief biography of the Buddha and an overview of his doctrine, the authors present a series of Pali texts attributed to the Enlightened One himself. Rich in parables and thought-provoking observations, the texts are thematically organized around the founder and his prophesies; training in Buddhist thought and conduct; relations with others; evolution and the unity of mankind; Buddha's teachings regarding causality, the Self, the Way, Nirvana, and other topics; and the transcendent state achieved through obedience to dharma, the cosmic order.

Merleau-Ponty and Buddhism
By: Jin Y. Park and Gereon Kopf (Editors)

Our Price: $85.00

Merleau-Ponty and Buddhism explores a new mode of philosophizing through a comparative study of Maurice Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology and philosophies of major Buddhist thinkers such as Nagarjuna, Chinul, Dogen, Shinran, and Nishida Kitaro. Challenging the dualistic paradigm of existing philosophical traditions, Merleau-Ponty proposes a philosophy in which the traditional opposites are encountered through mutual penetration. Likewise, a Buddhist worldview is articulated in the theory of dependent co-arising, or the middle path, which comprehends the world and beings in the third space, where the subject and the object, or eternalism and annihilation, exist independent of one another. The thirteen essays in this volume explore this third space in their discussions of Merleau-Ponty's concepts of the intentional arc, the flesh of the world, and the chiasm of visibility in connection with the Buddhist doctrine of no-self and the five aggregates, the Tiantai Buddhist concept of threefold truth, Zen Buddhist huatou meditation, the invocation of the Amida Buddha in True Pure Land Buddhism, and Nishida's concept of basho.

In his philosophical project, Merleau-Ponty makes vigorous efforts to challenge the boundaries that divide philosophy and non-philosophy, the East and the West, experience and concepts, the subject and the object, and body and mind. Combining the Eastern philosophical tradition of Buddhism with Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology, Merleau-Ponty and Buddhism offers an intercultural philosophy in which opposites intermingle in a chiasmic relationship, and which brings new understanding regarding the self and the self's relation with others in a globalized and multicultural world.

Opening the Clear Vision of the Mind Only School
By: Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche

Our Price: $17.00
Members Price: $15.30

The Mahayana has seven distinct characteristics that distinguish it from the Hinayana. Here Rinpoches present these characteristics according to the teachings of Longchenpa, along with extensive commetary on the Twenty Verses of the great master Vasubandhu. Buddha Shakyamuni declared, "Oh Bodhisttvas, the three realms are nothing other than mind." The Cittamatrins use these words as their point of departure.

Opening the Clear Vision of the Vaibhashika and Sautrantika Schools
By: Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche

Our Price: $16.00
Members Price: $14.40

The Vaibhashikas believe that relative truth is that which can be broken down into parts, whereas ultimate truth is indivisible. The Sautrantikas accept the selflessness of persons but not the selflessness of phenomena. The Cittamatrins accept the selflessness of both self and phenomena, but believe in the true existence of mind. Finally, the Madhyamikas claim that things appear to be real and substantial, but are actually without inherent, true existence. The various tenets of these four schools form the basis for understanding the entire scope of the Buddha's teachings. Thus, it is essential to gain an understanding of the fundamental schools of Vaibhashika and Sautrantika on the road to ultimate insight.

Opening the Wisdom Door of the Madhyamaka School
By: Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche

Our Price: $17.00
Members Price: $15.30

In this third year of our continuing investigation of Buddhist philosophy, we begin our study of Madhyamaka, the Middle Way school. Madhyamaka is a direct teaching on the essential nature, free from all extremes. It can be divided into two categories: true reality Madhyamaka and word Madhyamaka. True reality Madhyamaka is the absolute, inexpressible nature the Mother of all the Victorious Ones; word Madhyamaka describes this absolute nature. The practice of true reality Madhyamaka is divided into ground, path and fruit, whereas word Madhyamaka is divided into teachings and commentaries. The commentarial tradition is characterized by Prasangika and Svatantrika Madhyamaka, and Svatantrika itself includes the Sautrantika and Yogachara Madhyamaka schools.

In this book, the Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches use Shantarakshita's famous Madhyamakalankara (The Ornament of the Middle Way) and commentaries by Longchenpa and Mipham Rinpoche to explore Yogachara Madhyamaka. This tradition is generally associated with the "three great masters of the east": Jnanagarbha, Shantarakshita, and Kamalashila.

Opening the Wisdom Door of the Outer Tantras

Opening the Wisdom Door of the Outer Tantras: Refining Awareness Through Ascetic Ritual and Purification Practice
By: Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche

Our Price: $18.00
Members Price: $16.20

According to the Outer Tantras, one's own awarenessknown as "self-suchness"is ultimately beyond all the aggregates, beyond conceptuality, and beyond self-identity. It is free from all dualistic notions. This is the basis of visualizing oneself as the deity. If we don't maintain such a view in our practice of the tantras, we are simply imagining ourselves to be putting on the ornaments, or facade, of the deity. In other words, we are holding on to our sense of self as well as our strong emotions and limited conceptions. This means our practice is not really coming along. By harmonizing our practice of all the precious Dharma teachings, rather than focusing on their differences, the Outer Tantra techniques will activate and ignite our visualization and meditation practice of the Inner Tantras.

The Samten Chima, or Grand Samadhi Tantra, is among the most important of all the Outer Tantras in general and the Kriya Tantras in particular. It is called "grand" because it describes in detail exact instructions on how to practice with mantras according to the Secret Vajrayana. When we study, contemplate, and meditate on these teachings, we should always recognize that what we are discussing does not just apply to Kriyatantrait also applies to Upatantra, Yogatantra, and each of the Inner Tantras. Since the Samten Chima includes pith instructions on all the tantra teachings, it establishes the foundation of both the Outer and Inner Tantras.

Opening the Wisdom Door of the Rangtong and Shentong Views

Opening the Wisdom Door of the Rangtong and Shentong Views: A Brief Explanation of the One Taste of the Second and Third Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma
By: Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche

Our Price: $20.00
Members Price: $18.00

The principal subject of the 2007 shedra is a famous text by Mipham Rinpoche entitled the Tongthun Senge Ngaro (Lion's Roar That Explains Tathagatagarbha). This treatise explores such topics as the provisional (drangdon) and definitive (ngedon) meaning of the teachings presented in the three turnings of the wheel of Dharma; the distinguishing features of the Rangtong and Shentong views; and the differences between the Prasangikas and Svatantrikas in terms of the methods they use to approach and explain the ultimate nature. Of course, the main focus of Mipham Rinpoche's work is tathagatagarbha, or buddha-nature.

Many Tibetan Buddhist masters have extensively debated the authentic nature of mind, known as tathagatagarbha. Generally speaking, Rangtongpas believe tathagatagarbha to be free from all dualities and extremes, claiming that it is empty of intrinsic reality. Thus they assert buddha-nature to be "empty of itself." In contrast, Shentongpas claim that buddha-nature is actually full of the beautiful, natural qualities of mind, which shine forth unobstructedly after the temporary defilements and obscurations have been removed. Shentongpas therefore believe buddha-nature to be "empty of other," or empty of the habitual negativities and obscurations that cloud the beauty of our inherent nature. As explained by the great Mipham Rinpoche in the Tongthun Senge Ngaro, the Nyingma school does not see any essential contradiction between these two positions. By uniting these views, Mipham clarifies how Buddha Shakyamuni's three turnings of the wheel of Dharma are perfectly compatible and harmonious.

Philosophy of the Buddha
By: Gowans, Christopher W.

Our Price: $24.95
Members Price: $22.46

Philosophy of the Buddha is a philosophical introduction to the teaching of the Buddha. It carefully guides readers through the basic ideas and practices of the Buddha, including kamma (karma), rebirth, the not-self doctrine, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, ethics, meditation, nonattachment, and Nibbana (Nirvana).

Pointing at the Moon: Buddhism, Logic, Analytic Philosophy

Pointing at the Moon: Buddhism, Logic, Analytic Philosophy
By: Jay L Garfield (Author), Tom J.F. Tillemans (Author), Mario D'Amato (Author)

Our Price: $27.95
Sale Price: $25.16
Members Price: $25.16
You save $2.79!

This volume collects essays by philosophers and scholars working at the interface of Western philosophy and Buddhist Studies. Many have distinguished scholarly records in Western philosophy, with expertise in analytic philosophy and logic, as well as deep interest in Buddhist philosophy. Others have distinguished scholarly records in Buddhist Studies with strong interests in analytic philosophy and logic. All are committed to the enterprise of cross-cultural philosophy and to bringing the insights and techniques of each tradition to bear in order to illuminate problems and ideas of the other. These essays address a broad range of topics in the philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, logic, epistemology, and metaphysics, and demonstrate the fecundity of the interaction between the Buddhist and Western philosophical and logical traditions.

Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Philosophy

Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Philosophy
By: Thupten Jinpa

Our Price: $39.95
Members Price: $112.46

Thupten Jinpa explores the historical and intellectual context of Tsongkhapa's philosophy and addresses the critical issues related to questions of development and originality in Tsongkhapa's thought. The work also deals extensively with one of Tsongkhapa's primary concerns, namely his attempts to demonstrate that the Middle Way philosophy's de-constructive analysis does not negate the reality of the everyday world. The central focus of the study is the question of the existence and the nature of self. This is explored in terms of both Tsongkhapa's de-construction of the self and his re-constructive theories of the person. Finally, the work explores the concept of reality that emerges in Tsongkhapa's philosophy, and deals with his understanding of the relationship between critical reasoning, no-self, and religious experience. The interpretations of Tsongkhapa's thought are grounded in the original works, thus enabling Tsongkhapa to speak, as far as possible, in his own voice, while articulating his philosophical thought in language familiar to contemporary western philosophy.

Turning the Wisdom Wheel of the Nine Golden Chariots

Turning the Wisdom Wheel of the Nine Golden Chariots
By: Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche

Our Price: $20.00
Members Price: $18.00

Buddha Shakyamuni laid out many categories and levels of teaching according to the particular needs, desires, intelligence, and sensibilities of practitioners. In response to these differences, the Buddha gave a wide variety of teachings that were specifically suited to the unique characteristics of individuals. In this way, the Buddha skillfully ensured that all beings could benefit from the Dharma. But despite the inconceivably vast scope of these instructions, the purpose of each one is the same: to remove the obscurations and suffering of all beings and reveal our innate nature, which is the nature of everything.

Although the teachings of the Dharma can be summarized in many ways, the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism also known as the Ancient Translation school divides them into nine yanas or vehicles. This special book includes teachings from one of the most qualified Nyingma masters of our times, in which he explains the view, meditation, conduct, and fruition of each of the nine yanas from an authentically Nyingma perspective. Due to the comprehensive yet condensed nature of this book, it serves as both a general outline for those initiating their study of the Dharma, as well as a valuable aid for those wishing to better understand the essential meaning of each of the nine levels of Buddhist meditation and philosophy.

Walking Along the Paths of Buddhist Epistemology
By: Madhumita Chattopadhyay

Our Price: $31.50
Members Price: $28.35

The monograph highlights the philosophical arguments offered by Buddhist thinkers on different aspects of knowledge. Various aspects of Buddhist epistemology right from the basic question of what the Buddhists mean by knowledge, the varieties of knowledge according to their belief ad their explanations of the validity of knowledge are examined.

A painstaking work of Prof. Madhumita Chattopadhyay, this study deals with different epistemological topics like the nature of knowledge validity of knowledge, knowledge of knowledge, perception, erroneous perception, inference and its related issues like ascertainment of vyapti, antarvyapati, prasanganuman and fallacies of inference. The author has referred to many primary sources which include different Sanskrit texts as well as the latest secondary literature available on these topics and discusses the important role of concept of absence and the theory of apoha or “negative nominalism” as a substitute for universals I Buddhist metaphysics. An attempt is made to explore whether solutions to modern epistemological problems as found in the Western tradition can be provided from the Buddhist perspective in order to show that Buddhist epistemology has a relevant role to play I the area of epistemology itself.